Critical Thinking and Freedom of Speech Within the System of National Security and Cognitive Behavior.

This article presents an interdisciplinary analysis of one of the fundamental values of a democratic legal society—freedom of speech—as a critical instrument for rationalizing security-related factors during periods of socio-political crisis. The study addresses the complexity of communicative interactions among legal actors, highlighting cases of contradictory reactions to social phenomena and critical events. Cognitive-legal behavior is examined through the lens of legal theory, philosophical principles of communicative values, and psychological-legal determinants of normative rationalization. Particular attention is given to the role of emotional communication and the cognitive restructuring of thought patterns under pressure. The paper emphasizes the growing threat posed by systematic hostile information and psychological operations (IPSO), which aim to irrationalize mental and cognitive perception through the dissemination of false or semi-true narratives, both in interpersonal communication and international relations. These processes are strategically manipulated to support the entrenchment of totalitarian regimes. Special focus is placed on the Russian Federation’s malign influence operations, which exploit cognitive vulnerabilities and highlight the insufficient resilience of legal and informational systems in counteracting such threats. The broader implications of these phenomena for international security and democratic stability in Europe are critically evaluated. A sharp shift has been noted in the U.S. political establishment’s (JD Vance) attitude, specifically in the lack of recognition of Russian disinformation and media aggression globally. This new approach imposes doubled security responsibilities on us due to the failure to acknowledge the harmful impact of Russia’s information warfare, which is growing increasingly aggressive through the expansion of new paradigms such as: impostor accounts, hacked accounts, cyborg accounts, stolen accounts, rented accounts, fake accounts, and fictitious accounts. For national security, an information offensive against falsehood becomes particularly significant and urgent. It must be promptly developed on the basis of ideologically grounded critical discernment of criminal intent, rejection of lies, and their exposure through the media literacy of recipients and their cognitive thinking, shaped by national and international values. Keywords: national security, cognitive-legal behavior, emotional communication, freedom of speech, human rights and fundamental freedoms, cognitive restructuring, irrationalization of mental and cognitive perception.